Larry N. Rogers, who for 14 years managed the Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center (now James Brown Arena) and turned it into a profitable business operating in the black, passed away December 14 of medical problems. He was 76.

Fittingly, the obituary note includes the following appropriate for this season: “Larry’s favorite holiday was Christmas and he would want everyone to have a merry and joyous one. Therefore, his memorial event will be held after the holidays, time and place to be announced. Memorial gifts may be made to the Augusta Canal National Heritage Area, the Golden Harvest Food Bank or the Imperial Theatre renovation fund.”

Rogers wife, Rebecca, is marketing and public relations director of the Augusta Canal National Heritage Area.

Rogers served as operations manager of the Huntington (WV) civic center when the Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority hired him in 1979 as assistant general manager of the $18 million entertainment facility, which opened the following December mostly under Rogers’ expertise.

Rogers was known for booking diverse acts that constantly drew sold-out crowds to the venue. From rock to R&B to country, Rogers brought all to town, even though he admitted that initially he was not aware who some of them were when they first appeared in Augusta in the early 1980s.

Rogers later worked at other entertainment venues beginning in 1993 although Augusta was always home to him and his love with the community and its venues.

IAVM will announce more on the memorial event as soon as information is known.

IAVM member real estate consulting firms are located throughout the US. Such firms specialize in convention centers, arenas, stadiums, hotels and fairgrounds, among other real estate land uses. Often, real estate consultants are seen as “feasibility consultants” looking at a new facility or an expanded or replaced facility.

If customers/clients are smart, they can use economic consultants in so many other ways. A good consultant has literally seen thousands of projects that can inform the support they can provide. For example, the Erie County Convention Center Authority has commissioned studies for:

• Upgrade plan for the City’s arena, ball park and performing arts center, with full demand, financial projections, and economic impact analysis for each use
• Strategy development for a vitalized district around these venues, making a policy decision to remove a parking deck and create an event lawn between the three facilities, replacing parking elsewhere
• Policy decision between self-developing or attracting a developer for a 203-room Sheraton hotel
• Expert testimony defending the authority in justifying the hotel, while addressing concerns of other hotels
• Projecting tax revenue for various projects funded by the authority
• Recruiting management for the 203-room Sheraton hotel
• Assisting in analyzing a 16-acre parcel owned by the authority, for hotel, office, residential, retail and cultural uses, and helping issue a developer RFP for this parcel
• Holding countless workshops with the Board, helping them develop the business case for implementing the above improvements, to the City, County and State
• Helping the CVB adjust their marketing approach to reflect the new convention center
• Preparing updates to projections prepared 12 years earlier, to carry the organization through the next 10 years of operation.

Your consultant can also identify operation improvements, help analyze economic and fiscal impacts, help argue the case, base on return on investments, help hire architects, contracts and other service providers, and many other services. Such consultants are seasoned industry professionals, with the sole intent of making client organizations better. Their services are actually very inexpensive compared to the size of investments being made and are often earned many fold over by the savings brought forth by the consultant.

Charles Johnson is the President of Johnson Consulting and a Managing Director of World Trade Center Chicago

The Cox Business Center in Tulsa, managed by SMG and owned by the City of Tulsa, announced the appointment of Angie Teel, CMP, as the assistant general manager. Teel joins the venue from the St. Charles Convention Center where she has acted as a director since 2011. She has more than 10 years of venue management experience and is a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP). In her new role, Teel will coordinate daily activities in the downtown venue with various departments and work to continuously improve the reputation and award-winning standards of the convention center and interject best industry practices into the day-to-day operations.

“The enthusiasm and passion for great events and guest experiences at the Cox Business Center is something I share,” Teel said. “I’m looking forward to getting to know the entire team and Tulsa better, and to contribute to the outstanding impact the venue has on the city and everyone who steps inside.”

Teel studied International Business at Missouri State University before beginning her career in events. She is active in IAVM and has chaired numerous committees and served as Region 3 Director (2015-2017) and on the Board of Directors Executive Committee (2016-2017). She specializes in venue safety and security, trade-shows, special events, and corporate meetings.

“We look forward to having Angie and her convention industry experience join Tulsa,” said Ray Hoyt, president, Tulsa Convention and Visitors Bureau & Tulsa Sports Commission. “As we get ready to open the new expansion and greet new guests she will be a strong asset to our industry partners.”

A new, transformative solution now exists to meet the global demand for specialty coffee and customizable, on-demand experiences. Those working or attending any events at the George R. Brown Convention Center (GRB) in Houston will be able to enjoy their favorite java from one of the most innovative coffee solutions in the world. Houston First, which owns and operates the GRB, and its hospitality team powered by Levy, Houston Inspired Catering, have partnered with Austin-based Briggo to launch the first robotic, connected coffee service in Houston. ​
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“We’re excited to partner with Briggo and bring more smart and innovative products to Downtown Houston,” said Luther Villagomez, chief operating officer of Houston First. “Adding a robotic Coffee Haus to the convention center adds a layer of convenience and elevates the visitor experience, which is always our number one priority.”​
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“We’re thrilled to make Houston our first market outside our home base and deliver our gourmet, connected coffee experience to residents and global visitors,” said Briggo CEO Kevin Nater. “Since launching Briggo inside Austin-Bergstrom Airport last summer, we have been overwhelmed with demand for our service. Houston is an epicenter for business and innovation and an obvious fit for Briggo. We are so pleased to be broadening our service with Levy Restaurants and the Houston First team.”​
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Briggo’s Robotic Coffee Haus serves hot and iced coffee, lattes, cappuccinos, chai, hot chocolate, and other favorites 24/7 using gourmet whole-beans, fresh dairy and syrups. Customers can order ahead from the app, or customize their favorite drinks on the Coffee Haus touchscreens, and enjoy their drinks within minutes. The new Coffee Haus, located across from the Marriott Marquis Houston’s skywalk, will serve guests visiting the GRB during all public and private events.​
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“Technology like Briggo blends high quality service and memorable experiences, and that’s what we strive to deliver to our guests,” said Katherine Paynter Putnam, regional vice president for Levy Convention Centers, the team behind Houston Inspired Catering. “We’ve seen guests gravitate to the Coffee Haus in other spaces and it will be a great addition to the wide range of amazing Texas-raised food and beverage options at George R. Brown Convention Center.”​
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Named one of Austin’s “Best Places to Work,” Briggo’s Houston location is the latest in their multi-market network of Coffee Hauses and their fifth opening since SXSW in March of 2018. In addition to Austin-Bergstrom Airport and Austin’s Convention Center, Briggo operates inside three global tech firms, including two Coffee Hauses at Dell’s Round Rock headquarters. The company plans to continue expanding their network of Coffee Hauses into airports, convention centers, universities, hospitals, and additional locations where 24/7, on-demand specialty coffee is essential. ​

Maria Joe has been named event manager at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – the sixth largest convention center in the nation. In her new capacity, she will be responsible for managing all aspects of the event planning process. As a liaison between the Center and clients, she will guide clients through event preparation and show set-up, monitor in-house events, and oversee all related activities for her clients to ensure successful events.

Joe brings more than 11 years of event management experience with the Pennsylvania Convention Center authority where she served as an event manager. In her former role, she managed services for events in Pennsylvania, ranging in attendance from five to 200,000 people. As a meeting manager at Fernley & Fernley, Joe’s most recent role before joining the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, she handled all aspects of event management, such as venue, vendor, transportation, and operational logistics.

“We look forward to drawing on Maria’s experience in order to continue the proud tradition of excellent customer service here at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center,” said Donna Sakelakos, director of events.